Access the full text.
Sign up today, get DeepDyve free for 14 days.
R. Merton, M. Lowenthal, P. Kendall (1990)
The Focused Interview: A Manual of Problems and Procedures
L. Lederman (1990)
Assessing educational effectiveness: The focus group interview as a technique for data collection 1Communication Education, 39
R. Gillespie (1992)
A test of the external validity of focus group findings using survey research and statistical inference
A. Goldman, S. McDonald (1988)
The group depth interview: principles and practice.Journal of Marketing Research, 25
G.J. Glynn, S. Herbst, G.J. O'Keefe, R.Y. Shapiro, M. Lindeman
Methods for studying public opinion
K. Ziff
Focus group ‘art’ reveals in‐depth information
David Stewart, Prem Shamdasani (1991)
Focus Groups: Theory and Practice
D. Morgan (1988)
Focus groups for qualitative research.Hospital guest relations report, 2 3
E.S. Bogardus
The group interview
B. Calder (1977)
Focus groups and the nature of qualitative marketing research.Journal of Marketing Research, 14
Christine Persico, W. Heaney (1988)
Group Interviews: A Social Methodology for Social Inquiry.Adult Education Quarterly, 38
J. Kitzinger (1994)
The methodology of focus groups: the importance of interaction between research participantsSociology of Health and Illness, 16
R. Merton, P. Kendall (1946)
The Focused InterviewAmerican Journal of Sociology, 51
A. Goldman (1962)
The Group Depth InterviewJournal of Marketing, 26
A. Bryman
Focus groups
Purpose – Focus group interviewing, an important social science research methodology dating to the 1920s, is currently experiencing renewed popularity worldwide. This paper aims to review the implementation of this qualitative assessment tool as it relates to the library environment. The article is designed to stimulate the use of focus groups in librarianship and to demonstrate the range of positive applications across various activities within this field, such as administration, cataloging, reference, internet, and other areas. The goal is to bolster recognition that this data‐gathering technique can be utilized to achieve a variety of goals. Design/methodology/approach – A comprehensive search of online databases was conducted in library science and in numerous other social sciences, given the interdisciplinary nature of the topic. The salient monographic and journal literature was selected and annotated. A number of standard handbooks, textbooks, references sources, and scholarly articles were consulted to provide the background information found in the introductory essay. Findings – The paper finds focus group interviewing can be successfully employed in a wide range of endeavors within librarianship. Relative to the other social sciences, to date libraries have underutilized the approach. Originality/value – This research may be useful for librarians, library administrators, and others who are involved in planning and conducting a focus group project in order to appraise the quality of library programs, services, and policies. No other article provides this level of in‐depth review and evaluation through copiously annotated entries covering the spectrum of use throughout the library literature.
Reference Services Review – Emerald Publishing
Published: Apr 1, 2006
Keywords: Focus groups; Libraries; Librarians
Read and print from thousands of top scholarly journals.
Already have an account? Log in
Bookmark this article. You can see your Bookmarks on your DeepDyve Library.
To save an article, log in first, or sign up for a DeepDyve account if you don’t already have one.
Copy and paste the desired citation format or use the link below to download a file formatted for EndNote
Access the full text.
Sign up today, get DeepDyve free for 14 days.
All DeepDyve websites use cookies to improve your online experience. They were placed on your computer when you launched this website. You can change your cookie settings through your browser.